All About Books discussion

Any exciting beach books in your future or a new book from the library you can't wait to get to? Share your reading plans and goals for July with us!

I am going to try to scale back my planning this month. I have some library books I am hoping to read before they have to go back and a couple of readalongs but mostly I am just going to see what looks appealing...

Books borrowed:
The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century
The Tin Drum {currently reading}
The Fall of Hyperion
The First King of Shannara {audiobook}
The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Svejk, Book One (readalong with Gill)

Books of my own:
A Fine Balance (readalong with Alice) {currently reading}
Heavy Weather

Leslie, you have a nice plan there.

My plans for July, so far:

Oryx and Crake
House of Leaves
Enduring Love
Il padre di mia figlia - this is a Bosnian book, but I couldn't find an English translation
MiXED NUTS or What I've Learned Practicing Psychotherapy

My tentative plans:

Group Reads:

Amoris Laetitia-- The Joy of Love: On Love in the Family by Pope Francis (finish)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Magicians by Lev Grossman
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

AAB Drama:

The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka
Five Plays: Antigone, Eurydice, The Ermine, The Rehearsal, Romeo and Jeannette by Jean Anouilh (finish)

AAB Poetry:

Poemas de Las Madres: The Mother's Poems by Gabriela Mistral
Madwomen: The "Locas mujeres" Poems of Gabriela Mistral, a Bilingual Edition by Gabriela Mistral

AAB Nonfiction:

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Free Reads:

Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata (finish)
The Riders of the Sidhe by Kenneth C. Flint
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

I'll start with my last Rougon Maquart
Emile Zola Doctor Pascal

and then some books "in ordine sparso"- random:

Louise Penny How the Light Gets In
Louise Penny The Long Way Home

Agnes Martin-Lugand  La gente felice legge e beve caffè
Eugen Ruge In tempi di luce declinante probably

and maybe, time allowing

Robert Seethaler Il tabaccaio di Vienna
Elisabeth Howard,  Confusion
Lucy Maud Montgomery The Blythes Are Quoted
Jo Nesbo Nemesi
J. K. Rowling,  The Silkworm
Geraldine Brook,  Year of Wonders
Paolo Malaguti La reliquia di Costantinopoli

But these last two or three will get to August, I think ...

I have to finish what I am reading:

1. Ghost Train to the Eastern Star 4 stars read

and read what I didn't have time for last month:

2. Under the Wide and Starry Sky 3 stars read

and then these:

3. Beautiful Ruins 2 stars read
4. Arrowsmith 2 stars read
5.The Book of Harlan 1 star read
6. Homegoing 1star
7. Vanessa and Her Sister 4 stars read
8. The Silver Dark Sea
9. The Architect's Apprentice
10. Sunset Song 5 stars read
11. Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets 3 stars
12. A House Full of Daughters: A Memoir of Seven Generations 3 stars read
13. Silent Spring 5 stars read
14. Thunder At Twilight: Vienna 1913/1914

The first and the last four are non-fiction.

Books 8, 9 and 14 will be read next month!

I have these plans so far, not exactly light summer reading -

Group reads -
Uncle Tom's Cabin DNF
Bleak House maybe to start

Buddy reads -
The Mysteries of Udolpho currently reading
The Golden Notebook

AAB seasonal drama (Nobel Laureates) -
Collected Plays: Volume 1: A Dance of the Forests; The Swamp Dwellers; The Strong Breed; The Road; The Bacchae of Euripides: 001 Wole Soyinka
Waiting for Godot Samuel Beckett 3.5 stars

AAB seasonal non-fiction (countryside and nature)
Silent Spring 3 stars

Personal challenges -
The Painted Bird
The Art of War 3 stars

Library books -
Mothers of the Novel 5 stars
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families 5 stars
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
Human Acts 4 stars
Tipping the Velvet 3 stars
Night 3.5 stars

Chrissie wrote: "I have to finish what I am reading:

1. Ghost Train to the Eastern Star

and read what I didn't have time for last month:

2. Under the Wide and Starry Sky

and then..."

I'm curious to see what you will think about Secondhand Time.

Pink, both The Painted Bird as well as Being There by Jerzy Kosiński are on my wishlist, so I'd like to know what you think of the first.

dely wrote: "I'm curious to see what you will think about Secondhand Time.."

Me too. I would have read it sooner if I didn't have my rule that I must read first those books already purchased.

Death Comes for the Archbishop
Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
The Age of Reason
The Classic Works of Zora Neale Hurston
The Magic Mountain

I guess I'll add some more if I will be able to finish those.

Plans for my birthday month:


Wrap up A Little Life
Play It as It Lays
Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons We Learned From Eighties Movies
Breakfast of Champions ...will carry over into August
I Hate to Leave This Beautiful Place
Perfectly Imperfect: The Art and Soul of Yoga Practice

Cathie, so what are you thinking of A Little Life? Isn't it impressive?!

Happy Birthday, Cathie.

Raul,

Re: The Golden Pavilion: Good to read if you have seen the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, which is beautifully set in the Japanese landscape. Not the most gripping book, but interesting ideas about the concept of beauty. I kept wondering if I couldn't follow it completely b/c I am not Japanese.

Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle I really think was excellent. You have to work to understand. The beginning is practically incomprehensible. I don't love all of Nabokov's books but most.

Chrissie wrote: "Raul wrote: "Death Comes for the Archbishop
Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
The Age of Reason
The Clas..."</i>

I haven't seen the Golden Pavilion yet but I will search the images of it now that you've mentioned it :D.
And a friend told me that the first sentence of Ada is a mocking sentence to the poor translation of russian literature. I have read [book:Lolita and Pale Fire and though I admired Nabokov's genius, I'm hoping that Ada has more heart to it than them.

Chrissie wrote: "Pink, both The Painted Bird as well as Being There by Jerzy Kosiński are on my wishlist, so I'd like to know what you think of the first."

I'll post my thoughts when I've read it :)

Pink wrote: "I'll post my thoughts when I've read it :) "

Also for Waiting for Godot! I loved it and I hope you will enjoy it too.

Raul, I loved Lolita, but found Pale Fire just OK. Heart? You'll have to decided on that. For me It is more about playing with language.

Catchup:
Seizure
Marker

On Track:
Crisis
Foreign Body

Read-A-Longs:
Blood Trade
Black Arts
Animal Farm

Time Allowing:
Divided in Death
Finish the Oedipus Trilogy

Thanks, Pink. Both you and I don't like the super happy books. This one will then fit the bill.

For book club:
The Tall Pine Polka (July 7 meeting)
The Boston Girl (for August meeting)

On audio:
Finishing Murder, She Meowed for my rereading project of the entire Mrs. Murphy series.

On ereader:
Finishing The Wine of Angels - Really liking this series so far, and plan to read more.

For MLA (Minnesota Library Association) talk in October:
10 books on British history: Monarchs, Mayhem, and Madness. Or something like that. Currently reading She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth

July color challenge (for another GR list): orange
Have to pick a cooking mystery series author for Dec. book club and I haven't decided yet. It turns out all three authors I have checked out have orange covers, so maybe this challenge will get me to start on them...
Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth
A Deadly Grind
and I can't remember what the third one is ....

Well I won't have a problem with my books not being super happy next month! They're all pretty bleak but that's how I'm feeling right now.

dely, I'll let you know what I think of waiting for Godot too.

I really must read some more Nabokov, I agree with Chrissie that he's a master of language, but his books have been a bit hit and miss for me otherwise.

Pink, I gave Pnin one star. I hope things improve for you.

Chrissie, I quite liked Pnin, I think that's the one we most differ on. I know you loved Lolita, as did I. I didn't much like Pale Fire, too complicated for me and I didn't like Speak, Memory quite as much as you. I think the only other book of his I've read is a short story, Mary. I still want to read Ada or Ardor and Invitation to a beheading.

Raul wrote: "Death Comes for the Archbishop
Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
The Age of Reason..."

I love that Willa Cather book - hope you like it!

Ada or Ardor has been on my radar for a while so I will look forward with interest to hearing how you like it Raul. I liked Pnin more than Pale Fire (though I think that I liked Pale Fire more than you did Pink). I haven't tried Speak, Memory - is that one nonfiction?

My tentative July reads:

The Trial (currently reading)
Watership Down
A Fine Balance
The Masterpiece

Pink, I have a hard time with you r not loving Speak, Memory, but oh well. I think it may be because I love bios. Have you read Schiff's Vera? It is about both husband and wife.

Alice, I hope you can now get a hold of A Fine Balance and do enjoy it. Wasn't there a problem getting your hands on it? I sort of remember you saying that. My head is a sieve.

Lots of good books I see!

Leslie wrote: "Raul wrote: "Death Comes for the Archbishop
Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
The Age of Reason..."

I love th..."

Leslie wrote: "Raul wrote: "Death Comes for the Archbishop
Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
The Age of Reason..."

I love th..."

It's my first Willa Cather book so I'm excited about it. And Speak, Memory is auto-biographical.

I'm planning to read:
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Cabal
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
I Am Legend
Anne of Ingleside
Spice and Wolf, Vol. 15: The Coin of the Sun I

Raul wrote: "It's my first Willa Cather book so I'm excited about it...."

I haven't read that one yet, but I did quite like My Ántonia.

Death Comes for the Archbishop is definitely on my to-read list - I feel fairly certain I'll like that one too.

I thought Pale Fire was a fun read and very clever, but it was in large part just a big intellectual game ... making fun of literary criticism, petty patriotism, etc. Pink & Leslie, I can see why many of you didn't like it. And Raul, I can definitely see what you mean in it not having much "heart."

Greg, yes definitely too clever for it's own good, or for me, but I do want to re-read it one day.

Chrissie, no I haven't read Vera, but I have seen you mention it before and I'd like to try it one day. I too love biographies, Speak, Memory was a great book, but I didn't love it. Perhaps I judge everything by Nabokov too harshly after the amazingly high standard of Lolita.

I don't know if it makes sense, but I felt that Pale Fire was a bit too calculated? In the sense that it was written to impress the reader of the author's capabilities, who is obviously greatly gifted.

Raul wrote: "I don't know if it makes sense, but I felt that Pale Fire was a bit too calculated? In the sense that it was written to impress the reader of the author's capabilities, who is obviously greatly gif..."

I definitely felt that.

Pink wrote: "Greg, yes definitely too clever for it's own good, or for me, but I do want to re-read it one day.

Chrissie, no I haven't read Vera, but I have seen you mention it before and I'd like to try it o..."

That is true about the excellence of Lolita.

My plans for July:
Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
And the Mountains Echoed
Horus Rising

Chrissie wrote: "Cathie, so what are you thinking of A Little Life? Isn't it impressive?!

Happy Birthday, Cathie."

Chrissie wrote: "Cathie, so what are you thinking of A Little Life? Isn't it impressive?!

Happy Birthday, Cathie."

Thank you! Yes, it is impressive. I finished Part 3... heartbreaking.

Cathie wrote: "Yes, it is impressive. I finished Part 3... heartbreaking.
t..."

Cathie, I went into it knowing nothing and so was surprised in finding out what a difficult, heartbreaking read it was to be.

Chrissie wrote: "Pink, I have a hard time with you r not loving Speak, Memory, but oh well. I think it may be because I love bios. Have you read Schiff's Vera? It is about both husband an..."

Chrissie, I still don't know when I'll get my hands on A Fine Balance (it's marked "available" on the library catalogue, but "not ready for pickup" on my account page). Frustrating....

Pink, I liked The Golden Notebook a lot. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Interesting that you want to read the ancient classic The Art of War! I've been thinking of getting a Chinese copy on my home visit in November.

Alice, I do understand how annoyed you must be!

Esther wrote: "My plans for July:
Neighbors: The Destruction of the Jewish Community in Jedwabne, Poland
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
And the Mountains Echoed
[book:Hor..."

Esther, I've just read And the Mountains Echoed. I gave it 4 stars. Hope you enjoy it.

Chrissie wrote: "Cathie wrote: "Yes, it is impressive. I finished Part 3... heartbreaking.
t..."

Cathie, I went into it knowing nothing and so was surprised in finding out what a difficult, heartbreaking read it w..."

Chrissie, I "heard" a little bit about the book, that is worth the read. I was caught off guard that Jude's POV was not in Part 1, but then came Part 2 and thus far...

Gill wrote: "Esther, I've just read And the Mountains Echoed. I gave it 4 stars. Hope you enjoy it. ..."

I really liked his others so hopefully this one too.

Cathie, let's see what you think.. It was one of my most favorite fiction books for last year.

Alice, I've been meaning to read The Golden Notebook for a couple of years, since we had a buddy read here of another Lessing novel, but I always put it off due to the length. I'm a bit daunted by it already, but looking forward to it.

The Art of War is one of those texts that I always feel like I should have read, so I'm going to plump for it this month. I'll let you know what I think of them both :)

Pink wrote: "Alice, I've been meaning to read The Golden Notebook for a couple of years, since we had a buddy read here of another Lessing novel, but I always put it off due to the length. I'm a bi..."

The length has delayed it for me too, though I hope to read it one day.

I've read several others by Lessing, and I quite liked some of the "literary" ones such as The Grass is Singing. Some of the science fiction ones such as The Memoirs of a Survivor are odd but interesting. Her book Briefing for a Descent Into Hell was hands down the weirdest book I've ever read (and not altogether in a good way but still fascinating). Her book The Fifth Child read almost like a thriller, though it had a bit more philosophical and psychological depth than the average thriller. She's one of those very varied authors like Graham Greene in my opinion - all of her books seem to be so different!

The two of hers I have a lot of curiosity to read (but haven't yet) are The Golden Notebook and The Good Terrorist.

So far, I have Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen,
If I Forget You by Thomas Christopher Greene
and An Italian Wife by Ann Hood sitting on my coffee table for July.

The Girls by Emma Cline,
The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia by C.W. Gortner,
The Dinner by Herman Koch
and The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson are on reserve at the library. I've got a selection of differing genres in my books this month.

Greg, the only Lessing I've read was The Grass is Singing, which I really liked. I'm now intrigued by Briefing for a descent into Hell. I know she has a reputation for various styles, so I'm looking forward to trying another.

Esther wrote: "My plans for July:
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell


Esther, this is one of my favorite books! It's not everyone's cup of tea but I really loved it. Enjoy!